Confirmation

to Visit the Saint Anthony Confirmation Site

What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?

Confirmation brings to fullness that life in the Holy Spirit into which we were first initiated at Baptism. Therefore, a comprehensive preparation for Confirmation necessitates proper planning of curriculum, serious teacher-formation, Clergy participation, parental involvement and the prayerful support of the total Parish community. Our program components include study, service, retreat and liturgy. Beyond just catechesis, our program include a significant service project experience; a candidates’ retreat for enhanced religious formation; weekly Mass attendance fostering active participation on the part of the candidates in special liturgies and celebrations of the Eucharist; and interviews to develop mutual personal relationships and understanding of the candidates’ readiness and willingness to be Confirmed. Candidates are therefore, wiling to show that they are mature, responsible, Catholic adults and are ready to live their faith in the world today. Parents should share in this preparation.

What is the Confirmation Process?

Here at St. Anthony’s our Confirmation program follows the Archdiocesan two year preparation program and is open to all registered parishioners. Faithful weekend Mass attendance is required as preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, and is a must for all good Catholics. Our sessions are on Sunday’s from 11:30am until 1:00pm. Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit – his actions, his gifts, and his biddings – in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life. Year I Candidates will learn ABOUT their faith, prayers, scripture and who is God the Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit. Year II Candidates will begin to develop a RELATIONSHIP with God the Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit by knowing and living out their faith through pray and scripture. Catechesis for Confirmation should strive to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church, as well as to the parish community.

Confirmation Preparation Program Requirments

1) Registration

a) Families must be registered and contributing for at least one year. Please provide your envelope number with registration. Non-Registered and Out of the Parish candidates will be placed on a waiting list.

b) Candidates are to between the ages of 14-16 upon entrance (first year). c) All required paperwork, including Baptismal and First Holy Communion certificates, Sponsor Forms, Year II Saint essays and all fees paid by September 1st

2) Confirmation sessions

In the course of the two-year process, candidates need to attend a total of eighteen catechetical sessions focusing on the faith themes given by the Los Angeles Archdiocese Office of Religious Education. A master calendar is included in this Confirmation Handbook so candidates can identify the dates/times of available makeup sessions. If a candidate misses their regularly scheduled weekend, they can make it up on another week with permission of the Team Leader

3) Ecclesial Events

All candidates are expected to participate in at least 2 different Archdiocesan events each year, including a mandatory Youth Day for Year I and the Requiem Mass for Year II. Please check the calendar.

4) Sunday Mass

The Mass is the source and summit of our Catholic faith, and all candidates, parents and sponsors are expected to attend Mass every Sunday (or Saturday vigil) and on Holy Days of obligation during the two-year Confirmation preparation period. Candidates must attend the 10:00am mass on their session Sunday and parents and sponsors are to join them on the Fourth Sunday of month for our Youth Mass at the 10:00am mass. Candidates are required to sign in for mass.

5) Retreats

Confirmation retreats, especially the Year 2 retreat, offer heightened spiritual and transformative experiences for candidates. Confirmation preparation would be spiritually incomplete if a candidate does not get to experience the climatic Year 2 retreat. Sponsors are required to attend the Year 2 Retreat. Any missed retreats needs to be made up by attending the corresponding retreat at another local parish. The candidate must provide a written letter by the coordinator of the Confirmation and/or Youth Ministry program confirming his/her participation and attendance at the retreat. Please check the calendar for dates for both Year I and Year II retreats.

6) Service

a) Candidates are asked to perform a minimum of twenty (20) hours of service throughout each year of Confirmation preparation here at St. Anthony’s. It is the responsibility of the candidate to sign in for each service project during the course of the year in order to receive credit for service hours. If they do not sign in, credit for the hours will not be given. If the candidate has not completed the appropriate number of service hours he/she will be required to repeat the Confirmation Year.

b) Ongoing Service Projects: All Confirmation candidates are required to complete one (1) ongoing service project at the church. This normally is for about 1 (one) hour a week for one (1) month.

c) Mandatory Service Projects: All Confirmation candidates are required to complete a mandatory service project. Year I Mandatory project is the parish fair in June. Year II mandatory projects are Living Stations and Together in Mission.

7) Select a sponsor and confirmation name

Each Year I candidates needs to select a sponsor who meets the requirements. Sponsors must be at least 16 years old, baptized and confirmed, an active and practicing Catholic (other than the father and mother of the Confirmation candidate) who attends Sunday and Holy Day masses regularly and participates in the Sacramental life of the Church. This means the sponsor is registered and contributing at a church and can have the Sponsor Form signed by their Pastor at the church they regularly attend. If married, the Sponsor must be married in the Church. Only one sponsor is required for Confirmation and sponsor may be of either sex. Sponsors are expected to attend sessions every month to better enable them to lead their candidate through their faith journey. Year II candidates also need to select their confirmation name by writing an essay on that saint. Please research a Saint on who this Saint is, when and where they lived, events in their life, when they because a Saint and by which Pope and, most importantly, why you have picked this Saint for your Confirmation Name. Handwrite your essay on the Saint Essay Page in the registration and submit by September 1st.

8) Parent and Sponsor Participation

Parent participation in the Confirmation process is required as the primary educators of your children. Parents are to attend a monthly session to better prepare themselves for the Sacrament in which their child will be participating. Parents will be assigned to be responsible for providing the snacks at the monthly Community and Fellowship on the 4th Sunday of the month. In addition, parents are also encouraged to assist the Confirmation Program by becoming catechists, small group leaders, chaperones, office aides, or special event team members. Parents can not assist in the same Year sessions as their children. All adults engaged in working with the Confirmation Program need to have a VIRTUS certificate and may need to be fingerprinted according to Archdiocesan policies.

Sponsors must meet all the requirements as per number 7 above. Besides cultivating a faith-enriched relationship with their candidates, sponsors are required to attend monthly sessions on the Fourth Sunday of the month with their candidates and parents. They also must be able to attend certain Liturgical Rites including the Year 2 retreat, Confirmation rehearsal, and the Confirmation Rite as well as helping during Sunday liturgies with their candidate. If the sponsor is not able to attend any of the required events, then a proxy is needed who meets the above requirements.

9) Confirmation Fee

To help facilitate our Confirmation program the following fees apply:

YEAR I = $200*

YEAR II = $250*

Contact Mr. Timothy K. Rodrick, OP if you have questions regarding the High School Confirmation program at 310-322-4392 Ext. 444.